Pohlad Blows Up the Twins
Before I go any further, I need to mention that I finished the first draft of this story less than six hours before the Pohlad’s announced they were selling the Twins to themselves. My entire story was written with crossed fingers that the Minnesota Twins would soon be free of the Pohlad’s forever. Just as Twins fans in 1984 were happy to be rid of Legendary Racist Calvin Griffith.
Guess I have some re-writing to do…
Press conference front the first time the Twins signed Carlos Correa to a massive contract, in March 2022.
Thought this was the move to signal the franchise has finally turned the corner in to a serious contender. When your team has been on the verge of seriously contending, bringing in a high paid star to help push the team over the top, is common in baseball. One example that has always stood out to me is 2003 Florida Marlins, after building a strong young team (built on the backs of prospects returned from their post 1997 World Series winning fire sale), signing future Hall of Fame, Ivan Rodriguez, to a one year contract. Ownership recognized the time to strike and actually did it.
That came to mind when the Twins signed Correa in March, 2022.
Still have a hard time believing we actually signed the top ranked free agent shortstop, Carlos Correa, to a 3 year, $105.3 million contract. Key being, opt out clauses after each season. Unless there was a serious injury, it was widely assumed that Correa would opt out of the contract after the 2022 season. Correa had a great 2022 season, so we appreciated the year and said goodbye. San Francisco didn’t happen. The New York Mets didn’t happen. Both teams didn’t like his medicals, so he went back to the Twins on a 6 year, $200 million contract. A massive drop from the $350 million with the Giants, and the $315 million from the Mets.
We didn’t make the playoffs in 2022, but did in 2023! Payroll was boosted by a reasonable amount, to fill in some roster needs, and the 2023 Twins had a great season. Not only got their first postseason win in nearly 20 years, they actually knocked the Toronto Blue Jays out in the first round. The Houston Astros beat us in the second round, but it was a close series. Either way, it was a major win for the team, and the fan base was energized.
Then came the completely tone deaf “right-size the payroll” comment, announcing a $30 million drop, just weeks after the most successful season in over 20 years. Then a year later, announcing that you’re now looking into possibly selling the team. A few months later, a mysterious $400+ million chunk of debt shows up in the team’s books… One possible suitor immediately drops all interest and the fanbase sighs… Here we go again…
Sell the damn team, Joe…
Imagine all of the ridiculously tiny sport coats you can buy with your portion of the sale price!
In all seriousness, I shouldn’t place all the blame on Joe, when it’s his last name that is the true problem with Twins ownership. Joe is the Pohlad face of the Pohlad family, who own the team. In ownership stakes, split 12, maybe 17, maybe 43 ways, down the bloodline. One of the Pohlad’s main issues in inflating the price of the franchise (besides hiding debt from their flailing commercial real estate investments) is their gripe that any sale would have to be split among all the family shareholders. Their claim that each Pohlad would make less, if the final price wasn’t above a certain level. I’m sure the ancestors of Minnesota land owners who saw their farms foreclosed, by Carl Pohlad himself, during the Great Depression, are very sympathetic to the Pohlad’s financial plight. Not to mention every single Twins fan who has suffered through their various fuckery over the last 41 years.
Great granddaddy Carl Pohlad used $43.5 million of his fortune to buy the Twins in 1984.
Each of you will all make more than he paid for the team in the first place.
Dry your entitled, greedy, tears.
I’m sure there’s plenty of new tax breaks for you all to take advantage of, thanks to President Pedophile.
Carl Pohlad died in 2009, leaving control of the team to his son Jim Pohlad (actually, a split between all three sons, but Jim became team chairman). Jim ran the team until a slow transition to his nephew, Joe Pohlad, who officially took over in 2022. Dating back to the day Carl purchased the team from legendary racist, Calvin Griffith, the Pohlad’s have always treated the Twins as a business. Held the the same standards of profit/loss, the Pohlad's hold their banks, entertainment and real estate holdings. They don’t see the team as a community asset, instead as an underperforming drain on their portfolio.
At this point I’m going to stop for an update. As I’d mentioned, this story was written before one key piece of information had been revealed. I went to bed that night, satisfied with my first draft of this story. I woke up the next morning to news that every Twins fan dreaded, although none of us could have ever really ruled this out…
Impossible to read without seeing right through it…
“The Pohlad family would like to announce the sale of the Minnesota Twins… To the Pohlad family, and a few more people.”
If you want to do the impossible and keep any goodwill at all with the fanbase, you do not cut payroll any further. From watching all but the first few years of the Pohlad Twins ownership regime, I know they will double down. Next year will be Byron Buxton and the Saints, losing 90 games inside of an empty Target Field. A publicly built stadium, that came with the assurance of Carl Pohlad, that if it was built, it would allow the Twins to compete with a league average payroll. After Target Field opened, the Twins have only had a league average payroll in three seasons. 2010, 2011 and 2023. Despite promises, our payroll is always 75%-90% of league average. Which is exactly where it was in the Metrodome.
Just one of many lies the Pohlad’s keep expecting us to believe.
Which is what makes that $400 million (or whatever the number is) in debt, all the more suspicious. Payroll is intentionally kept low, so the team knows it’s all covered by the national media rights fees. Then you add in their percentage of the luxury tax funded, revenue sharing pool. Minnesota gets a nice sized piece of the penalties paid by the Dodgers, Mets and Yankees. You know, the teams that are willing to spend money to win. All of that free money coming in every year, is absolutely more than what the Twins pay out in player salaries. Of course the percentage isn’t known, but clearly the team can’t blame payroll on a $400+ million debt.
If they’re not using the Twins to patch holes in their other failing businesses, they’re far more incompetent and stupid than previously imagined. The math for blaming payroll just absolutely does not work out.
So far the Pohlad’s haven’t stripped down to bare bones to really cash in on the free money, at levels like the Marlins or Pirates. But I get the feeling it’s going to be a long time before this team surprises us and spends some money.
Maybe it won’t blow up in our face?
2021 Topps Silver Pack - Josh Donaldson
Before the 2020 season, the Twins signed aging free agent, Josh Donaldson, to play third base. Overpaying Donaldson to a 4 year, $92 million deal, in order to sign him. Minnesota isn’t a top destination for upper tier free agents, so teams like the Twins pay a hefty task in luring above average players. Donaldson hit well, .243/.355/.474, over 163 games, between the 2020-21 seasons. Missing half of the 2020 season, which was already cut short by Covid. He was largely healthy in 2021, but wasn’t a good fit with the Twins roster.
In a shocking March 2022 trade, the Twins traded Donaldson to the New York Yankees, and got the Yankees to pay ALL of his remaining salary. Close to $50 million over the 2022 and 2023 seasons. In recent years, team management had started to bump the payroll slightly. Going into the 2022 season, the Twins were planning on contending. After dumping Donaldson’s salary, for an average third baseman (Gio Urshela), we still needed a shortstop.
2023 Topps Chrome Purple Sonar Refractor - Carlos Correa
Essentially, the bargain-basement Twins, signed a superstar shortstop to a 7 year, $235 million contract. Unprecedented in Minnesota Twins history.
And just like the Donaldson contract, not even half way through, they decided they needed to get out of it.
And if the Pohlad's can cut a few million off the books, may as well just tear it down!
In the days leading up to the July 31st trade deadline, the Twins traded away 10 members of the active 26 man Major League roster. Five of them (Castro, Bader, France, Coulombe and Paddack) are free agents after the 2025 season. We’re not contending for a playoff spot, so by all means, get some prospects for them. It was the other five traded players that makes this a story…
None bigger than trading Carlos Correa to Houston Astros, where he played from 2015 through 2021.
Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton talking shop in the dugout, during 2025 Spring Training.
It was nice having TWO superstars in our lineup. Even if only one of them could play like a superstar at a time…
According to rumor and innuendo, the Houston Astros approached the Twins about the availability of Correa. Then the Twins asked Correa about the availability of himself to the Houston Astros. He told the Twins that he would only waive his no-trade clause to go to Houston. With less than 24 hours before the trade deadline, the two teams had to figure out how to make everything work out.
The next morning, rumors were the trade had fallen apart. Houston wanted Minnesota to pay far too much of Correa’s remaining contract, around $103 million, for the Twins to agree. I left for work at 1pm, absorbing the trades Minnesota had already made that morning, but believing the Correa trade to be dead. And I was fine with that. His 2025 season hasn’t been very excellent, but I still wanted him on the team.
Besides, I was a big fan of Correa’s road game walk-up music…
“For the Twins, now batting, number 4, Carlos Correa…”
“BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!”
Shortly after I got to work, news of the Correa trade broke. Details weren’t immediately available, but it was assumed that Minnesota would be picking up a portion of Correa’s remaining contract. Several hours passed and all that had been revealed was Minnesota was paying an unknown percentage of the contract, and Houston would be sending a prospect back to the Twins.
Okay… That’s about what I figured. My guess was we’d pay about $10-$12 million for each of the three years remaining, and the Astros would send back someone in the bottom end of their Top 30 Prospects list. Certainly we wouldn’t be seeing anyone from their Top 5. Not even Top 20. Somewhere in the #25-27 range would be fully appropriate. Depending on how much money we are chipping in.
Well, we are paying a total of $33 million. $3 million for 2025, and $10 million for each of 2026, 2027 and 2028. The Astros feel that Correa is a $20 million a year player. The Twins believed (in 2022), that Correa was a $30 million a year player. So the Twins have to make up that difference, for the trade to happen. I feel that’s completely reasonable.
What about the prospect?
2021 Bowman Draft Chrome Refractor - Matt Mikulski
No, really… What Astros prospect are we getting in return?
My reaction to the naming of our new “prospect” was thinking it had to be a joke. The Astros should be more embarrassed for offering Mikulski for Correa, than the Twins should be for accepting him. Nothing personal, I’m sure he’s a great guy, but he’s had years to prove he can pitch. All he’s proven is he can’t.
Mikulski was the San Francisco Giants 2nd Round Pick, in the 2021 MLB Draft. (Shocked I had a card for him. Probably wouldn’t, if it wasn’t a Refractor.) He is now 26 years old, and has never pitched above A ball. His minor league career record through the time of the trade was: 9-13, with a 6.54 ERA, over a total of 227 innings pitched. He’s walked 147, but managed to strike out 246. Except Mikulski has never pitched above A ball!
Making this trade look worse, the San Francisco Giants released Mikulski in March of 2025. He went nearly 2 months unemployed, before finally signing with the Astros, in late May. Not knowing what else to do with him, he was assigned to Rookie League ball, and was awful. They promoted him to High A Asheville, where he was slightly less than awful. After the trade to the Twins (who assigned him to High A Cedar Rapids), he’s right back to being awful.
Nothing against Matt Mikulski, but not getting a prospect in return at all, would have been better than this. Houston sending Mikulski in a trade like this is insulting. To the Twins AND Carlos Correa.
With our superstar shortstop now in Houston, that position belongs to this guy…
2023 Bowman Chrome Purple Wave Refractor - Brooks Lee
Brooks has now payed in nearly 150 career major league games, over the last 2 seasons. You can look at the numbers and see they’re not that great. Overall, he’s put up a .237/.280/.357 line. He’s shown improvement over 2025, from 2024, but you’d like to see more. Especially considering the numbers he put up in the minors. He drew walks around a 10% rate in the Twins farm system. In the majors, it’s been down about 5.5%. His strikeout rate is acceptable, and he is hitting for more power. Only 24, he’s got time on his side. Shortstop is his natural position, so maybe he settles into his every day job and begins to excel. Before the trade, Lee had been splitting time at 2nd, 3rd and short. Hopefully he can remember what he was doing with the Saints and Wind Surge, posting an OPS in the .830 range.
If he doesn’t, Minnesota’s 1st Round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, is gaining momentum…
2024 Bowman Chrome Draft Refractor - Kaelin Culpepper
Culpepper had a nice 2024 debut. Appearing in 26 games, between Low and High A, posting a .242/.330/.394 line. Twins took it slow and assigned him back at High A Cedar Rapids, to start the 2025 season. In 54 games, his line was .293/.385/.479, earning a promotion to AA Wichita. His numbers with the Wind Surge have been even more encouraging, .355/.422/.551. Between the two levels, he’s seen over 400 plate appearances, slugged 16 home runs, stole 23 bases, taken 41 walks and only struck out 65 times. If he can maintain even close to that pace, a promotion to AAA St. Paul before the end of the season can’t be out of the question. Culpepper has played shortstop almost exclusively in the minors, but has played a handful of games at second and third.
And if Culpepper doesn’t stick at short…
2025 MLB Draft - Round 1 - Twins - Marek Houston
Almost as if this draft pick was foreshadowing… Houston’s biggest strength is his fielding skill at shortstop, but the question will be if he can hit enough to start in the majors. The smallest of sample sizes, 6 games with Low A Fort Myers, Houston’s line is .370/.414/.407. Not too likely sustainable, but not a bad start either.
As far as the Twins future goes, I’m not too worried about the shortstop position.
Not when there’s so many other issues to be concerned over.
2022 Bowman Heritage - Royce Lewis
Will Lewis get back to what he was before both of his legs fall off rounding first base? Moments after he declared he didn’t believe in slumps, in the Summer of 2024, he’s been in a massive slump. Sandwiched by more injuries. He’s been pretty OK over the last month or so. Appears his lack of hitting has been more of a timing issue, than a swing mechanics issue.
We need the non-injured 2023 version of Lewis bad.
2021 Prizm White Wave - Trevor Larnach
Would also be nice if Larnach could ever take that final step in being an above average MLB outfielder. Been years of underwhelming production. He’s not been bad, but he’s never stepped up. He’s also going to start getting expensive, and I just don’t see him as an $8-10 million player.
2019 Bowman’s Best - Matt Wallner - Autograph
Harsh to say, but I feel Wallner’s legacy will be “Slightly better Joey Gallo”.
2021 Panini Spectra - Alex Kirilloff - Ryan Jeffers - Jersey
Alex Kirilloff shockingly chose to retire after the 2024 season, rather than play for the Pohlad's. His back was pretty messed up too.
Jeffers has played nearly every game this season, either at catcher or DH. He hits well for a catcher, but his power is down a bit this year. He’s also going to start getting expensive, and I wonder if he, like Larnach, is a trade possibility after this season…
After the Pohlad news, I fully expect both of them to be elsewhere in 2026.
2023 Topps Heritage High - Christian Vazquez
Vazquez was the only pending free agent who was not traded at the July deadline. Because no one wanted to take on the rest of his ridiculous $10 million salary. After the 2022 season, we needed a catcher to pair with Jeffers. Having some money to spend, the Twins blew Vazquez away with a 3 year, $30 million contract. No one could justify it, and it’s been an albatross ever since. He can’t hit anything, and his defense has slipped significantly, but he’s been durable!
Let’s look at the other 2025 Twins players that are now 2025 Other Teams, and what we got in return…
2022 Topps Chrome Update Purple - Chris Paddack
When the Twins briefly thought they could have a league average payroll, they used the money on Vazquez and an extension on Paddack. Not long after his Twins career started, he caught a case of the Tommy Johns and missed most of the 2022 and 2023 seasons. He also missed half of the 2024 season. At $7 million, he was a luxury we couldn’t afford. That shouldn’t be the case, but this is Minnesota.
I liked his socks.
Paddack pitched the final Twins spring training game, against the Colorado Rockies, that Laura and I attended. He pitched okay at this game. Which is the same review I’d give his Twins career. He pitched some very good games and some very bad ones. He also had a very good stretch of ten or so starts, earlier this year. Although the underlying metrics served as warning that his 2025 successes probably weren’t sustainable.
2021 Panini Classics - Randy Dobnak - Autograph
The Twins were so desperate to shed salary, they got the Tigers to take on the remaining $2 million in sunk cost, that is injured St. Paul Saints pitcher, Randy Dobnak. We also didn’t pay down any of Paddack’s salary. Detroit would have likely traded us a better prospect had we eaten some of that money. This trade was kind of salt in the wound. The first place division rival saying to us “Yeah… We’ll pay Dobnak and Paddack's contracts, $3 million doesn’t affect us…”
2024 Bowman - Enrique Jimenez
In exchange, we acquired Enrique Jimenez, a 19 year old catcher from Venezuela. He was assigned to the Low A Fort Myers Mighty Mussels after the trade. Essentially a lottery ticket, he does have an intriguing bat. In 142 career games (mostly with the Dominican Summer League and Tigers Rookie League, he’s posted a .254/.366/.406 line. The Twins like his power potential. He only has 10 home runs, but an eye popping 81 walks. He does grade well on defense, and decent defensive catchers are always a good thing to have in your farm system. There’s something to work with here.
Jimenez was Detroit’s 19th ranked prospect. The Twins system is a little deeper, so he ranks at #30 here.
Every Twins fan expected Chris Paddack to be traded.
The next move was more of a shocker.
In the days leading up to the trade deadline, rumors were running rampant that the Twins would trade one or more of their key bullpen pieces. Going into the 2025 season, the bullpen was a major strength on a team with some pretty big holes. But I figured they’d keep at least some of those key pieces, if they plan to contend in 2026…
But do they plan on competing in 2026?
2022 Prizm Green - Jhoan Duran
Jhoan Duran was the first to go, off to the Philadelphia Phillies. Will definitely miss watching his snap off the most wicked curveballs I’ve ever seen, followed by a 4 seam fastball averaging over 100mph. However, because of that 100mph fastball, and the wicked spin on the curveball, I have to wonder how many more bullet he has left before the seemingly inevitable UCL tear. Not to curse him, and he’s shown no history of arm problems. But that 100mph fastball is down from the 103mph it was in 2022. He may pitch another 15 years with no trouble, which would make him a possible Hall of Famer,
That being said, I don’t have a problem with the Twins selling high on him.
2020 MLB Draft Round 1 - Phillies - Mick Abel
Looking at those scores (which are based on a 20-80 scale), I’m wondering why Abel hasn’t been dominating the league since early 2022. Then I look at the evaluator, and see it’s Dan O’Dowd… So, yeah… Maybe he does turn into Justin Verlander? I would value that more than a closer, no matter how hard he threw.
Minnesota assigned Abel to the St. Paul Saints, after the trade. He’s still a top prospect, though he fell out of MLB’s Top 100, due to his abysmal 2024 season. The Phillies made some tweaks to his timing, which has greatly improved his consistency. Plus he’s still throwing 96-99mph. Evaluators I’ve read since the trade rank him around 110-120, if the MLB Top 100 was the Top 120. His first 2 starts with the Saints have been very promising.
His 6 start tryout with Phillies wasn’t so hot (2-2, 5.04 ERA, 25 IP, 9 BB, 21 K). Between his 13 starts with the AAA Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, and 2 starts with the Saints, Abel has a 2025 AAA line of: 7-2, 2.16 ERA, 83.1 IP, 38 BB, 93 K, 1.16 WHIP. There’s a lot for the Twins to work with here.
But the centerpiece of the trade is…
2025 - Philadelphia Inquirer - Eduardo Tait
Eduardo Tait is an 18 year old, power hitting catcher, now assigned to High A Cedar Rapids. Tait is ranked at #54 on the MLB Top 100 Prospect list. In three minor league seasons, he’s played in 213 games, hitting .286/.346/.466, with 26 home runs, against 169 strikeouts and 64 walks. Great numbers for an 18 year old at High A.
The next afternoon, we made another trade with the Phillies.
2019 Donruss Bleachers Pink Fire - Harrison Bader - Autograph
With the Twins deciding to play so inconsistent, Harrison Bader was absolutely getting traded. And that sucks, I really liked having him on the team. He wasn’t one of the reasons our record is so poor. I was really happy when Joe Pohlad found $6 million in the ashtray to sign him, though it really only cost 2/3 of that. Philadelphia was more than happy to pick up the last two months.
So what did we get back?
2022 Topps ProDebut - Hendry Mendez
A former Brewers prospect… One of two sent to the Phillies for Oliver Dunn (a light hitting utility player in AAA), in November, 2023. The Twins assigned him to the AA Wichita Wind Surge. Mendez isn’t a strong defender, and will likely end up in left field. He has power potential, and doesn’t strike out a whole lot. In 93 games (8 with Wichita), he’s batting .299/.379/.439, with 9 home runs. Only 21, and holding his own at AA is a good sign. Either there will be continued development, or he’ll stall out.
An interesting piece for Bader, and the Phillies even threw in a lottery ticket!
Really makes me feel old seeing Villoria was born in 2008… Geremy has made 7 appearances in Dominican Summer League (5 for the Phillies and 2 for the Twins), and has pitched 19 innings, to a 4.26 ERA, withe 5 walks and 23 strikeouts. A lot can happen between 16 years old and Target Field, but at 6’2, 180 pounds, he’d still growing into a projectional frame. Check back on him in 2029, and see how he’s doing.
A good return for the best compliment to Byron Buxton that we’ve had in the last few years.
Losing Bader has put a bigger dent in our already dented bench. Top contributing reason for our weak bench is many of our recent rookies haven’t stepped up to be productive major leaguers.
2024 Stadium Club Chrome - Austin Martin
Martin debut last year and got into 93 games, filling in for various injuries and underperformances. He underperformed himself, hitting .253/.318/.352, with only 1 home run and 16 RBI’s. Most of 2025 has been missed due to injury, and he made his 2025 Twins debut after all the trades. He’s been okay for the 9 games he’s played so far, but he’s not likely to live up to the lofty expectations of the 5th overall pick in the 202 MLB Draft.
2024 Topps Chrome Refractor - Edouard Julien
Julien has been a real mess after his great rookie season of 2023. He hit .263/.381/.459 with 16 home runs that year, and looked like a building block for the next Twins run. Between 2024 and 2025, his line is .198/.290/.317, in 140 combined games. 10 home runs in that time doesn’t make the other stats look decent either. He’s back up with the Twins after all of the trades, but it feels like this is his last chance with the big league team.
2022 Topps ProDebut Chrome - Jose Miranda
I chose a St. Paul Saints card because I don’t see him ever playing for the Twins again. He started off good in 2022, then was injured in 2023. 2024 was pretty decent until he decided he was done hitting in August and September. That whole not hitting thing stretched into 2025, when he batted .167/.167/.250 in 12 games (not even drawing 1 walk in 36 plate appearances). After making an embarrassing base running mistake, that cost us a game in April, he was demoted to St. Paul. The day after he was optioned to St. Paul, he hurt his wrist while buying bottled water at Target, and missed over a month. For the Saints sake, he should have probably stayed injured. In 67 games with St. Paul, Miranda is batting .191/.264/.291, with 5 home runs.
Someone’s getting non-tendered in November!
Since our bench was a giant pile of dump, we had to go waiver searching for help, before April even ended.
2025 Topps Diamante - Jonah Bride
When the Marlins decided that Bride was of no more use to them, the Twins put in a claim and he was sent to Minnesota for whatever the waiver claim price is this year. We had nothing better, so he appeared in 33 games. Producing at a .208/.275/.236 clip. Which is still notably better than the .100/.200./100 line he gave the Marlins in 12 games. Minnesota finally designated him for assignment, after he was used as a relief pitcher more than an infielder. Since the Twins couldn’t do it, no other team claimed him off waivers, so he was sent to St. Paul.
Where he isn’t playing, but he is outhitting Miranda!
2025 Topps Heritage Father & Son - Kody Clemens
Instead of a waiver claim, you can trade the equivalent of my yearly salary for a utility player before they hit waivers! That’s how we got Roger Clemens youngest son. While it probably won’t go down as the best Twins trade of 2025, it’s up there. Clemens showed up and helped stop the bleeding of a very bad first month. He’s earned a starting job and become one of our better regulars. It could be argued that (with the exception of Byron Buxton), Kody Clemens is our (non-pitching) MVP. His line of .230/.303/.488 (13 home runs) is far beyond what I expected when we traded for him.
Clemens isn’t even arbitration eligible until after next season, and I’d have zero problem with him having a role on our 2026 team. (Whatever that is going to look like…) He’ll be cheap for a few more seasons, which the Pohlad's will love. Too bad that he’s already 29 years old, so he’s not exactly a building block for the future.
Now here’s someone who absolutely looks to be a bright spot…
2023 Bowman Chrome Draft Refractor - Luke Keaschall
Keaschall was our second round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, and was a surprise call up in mid-April. He immediately hit and didn’t stop until Angels starter Kyle Hendricks nailed him in the arm with a pitch, breaking his forearm. Only games into his career, he’s now miss three months. The Twins are cursed. It was Keaschall’s unfortunate injury that led the Twins to bring Kody Clemens aboard. So there was a bright side!
After a brief rehab with St. Paul, Keaschall was brought back to the Twins a couple days after the trade deadline. He hit his first MLB home run on August 5. Strangely enough, off former teammate, Chris Paddack, making his second start with the Tigers. His second home run came 5 days later, as an 11th inning walk off winner, against the Kansas City Royals.
It’s not sustainable, but through his first 12 major league games (48 plate appearances), Keaschall hit .415/.500/.707. Quickly becoming a fan favorite, he’s giving jaded Twins fans something to cheer for…
Because if you were a fan of our bullpen, they’re all gone…
2025 Twins Player Photos - Brock Stewart
I don’t think I have any Brock Stewart cards. If there are any Brock Stewart cards. So I’m using a Twins promotional photo to represent him. Well, he now a Los Angeles Dodger, and you know how we feel about them… Stewart has long been an injury risk, and I saw that after 4 games with L.A., he’s got a bum shoulder. Well, hope you checked his medicals in advance…
2023 Bowman - James Outman
They sent us James Outman in return. I don’t understand this trade. Outman is 28 years old, and out of options after this season. While he hit .248/.353/.437, with 23 home runs and 16 stolen bases in 2023, since then he’s been the epitome of his name. His 2025 line of .103/.205/.282, is Jonah Bride level bad. Outman was assigned to the Saints, so maybe they can give each other batting tips?
2018 Topps - Danny Coulombe
Coulombe was another pending free agent, and was pitching really well when we traded him to the Texas Rangers. This 2018 card of him during his decent three year run in Oakland, was the only Coulombe card I could find. If he has a Twins card, I don’t think I have one.
2024 Liberty University - Garrett Horn
Texas sent us a horn back. He was a 6th round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. The Twins assigned him to High A Cedar Rapids, and he got blasted in his only appearance. Up to that point, he’d been successful in 3 Rookie League and 6 Low A starts. Chalk it up to new team jitters, I guess.
The next bullpen trade was a surprise.
2022 Stadium Club - Griffin Jax - Autograph
When we traded Jhoan Duran, I figured that Jax would stay in Minnesota, and graduate to the closer’s role. Nope! He was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays, just minutes before the deadline. It was later disclosed that after learning of the Correa trade, Jax asked the Twins to trade him. His last Twins appearance came the night before, and ended with him throwing a fit after Rocco Baldelli removed him from the game. He apologized afterwards, but Jax clearly had enough with the Twins organization.
2024 Prizm Signatures - Taj Bradley
Our return seemed a little light, given Bradley’s 2025 struggles that say the Rays demote him to AAA, after 2 seasons in their rotation. The Twins followed suit, and put Taj in St. Paul. He’s made one start and it was really good. Given the state of the Twins rotation, I’m hoping to see him up here soon, if he continues pitching well in St. Paul.
Just when I though the Jax trade meant the end of our bullpen purge, I clicked refresh on the MLB Trade Rumors site, with less than 2 minutes to go… “Minnesota Twins trade Louis Varland and Ty France to Toronto Blue Jays.”
2022 Bowman - Louie Varland - Autograph
Well that kinda sucks… After several failed attempts at the starting rotation, Varland was moved to a full time relief role in 2025, and he excelled. My first thought after seeing us sell off the St. Paul native was Twins brass were so buzzed after all the trades, they made this one without thinking. Though it started to make sense…
2025 Topps - Ty France
Here’s the salary dump part. Though it doesn’t mean much was dumped, when France was only signed for $1 million. Shortly after the Twins signed France in February, Rocco Baldelli said he would be starting at first base every day. For that level of faith, France responded with a .251/.320/.357 line, showing little power and drawing very few walks. As the season went on, France was playing less and less. Kody Clemens simply outplayed him.
And Jose Miranda wasn’t interested in the job.
From the final game of the Twins spring training, against the Colorado Rockies. Ty France holds fragile Rookie Kris Bryant at first base. Since I don’t have any France Twins cards, and this is probably the last time I’ll see Kris Bryant play in person, this picture is my stand in. Between France at first, Paddack on the mound and there’s Carlos Correa’s legs, all visible Twins in this photo are no longer with the team. Who knows if Kris Bryant, and his broken up back, will ever play again.
So what did we get for France and Varland?
2025 - Blue Jays Promotional Photo - Alan Roden
Nick Swisher?
The Twins are really high on this guy, and I’m not sure I see it. In 43 games with the Blue Jays, Roden hit only .204/.283/.306. His numbers in 9 games with the Twins have been worse. With AAA Buffalo, he batted .331/.423./.496, in 32 games. So hopefully he finds that version of himself. If he does, he could become the next Jake Cave!
Next!
2025 - WhatsApp - Kendry Rojas
Taking a look at the pitcher Toronto sent us, makes it easier to digest the Varland trade. Apparently, Twins management loves this guy too. Looking at the numbers, there’s a lot to like. He’s got a durable frame, and is throwing between 94-97mph, with decent secondary pitches. The problem lies in the relative lack of work. He’s made it to AAA, but has never pitched more than 84 innings in a season, since signing with Toronto in 2020. He’s still only 22, so time’s on his side.
And if he’s unable to build up to a major league starting pitcher’s workload, he might make a quality relief pitcher. Which is something I suspect was a motivational factor in going after all of these AA and AAA starting pitchers. Every good relief pitcher was once a starting pitcher. Since the Twins traded away all their relief pitchers, there’s a very good chance that some of these recent acquisitions become the next wave of Twins bullpen arms.
Though I’d love to see what Rojas could do…
So after all that, what’s left of our bullpen?
2022 Topps Update - Cole Sands
He’s still here. Was pretty decent the last two seasons, but took a step back in 2025.
Not sure why of all the pitchers we had in the bullpen, Sands was the one who gets to stay.
2024 Stadium Club Autograph - Kody Funderburk
Even his mom thinks he’s not worth it…
March 22, 2025 - Twins Spring Training - Justin Topa
When TC Bear farts in your general direction, you’re probably not the most reliable member of the bullpen… Yet, I think he’s our new closer…
After you trade away 11 members of your 26 man roster, you suddenly need warm bodies. So it was time for a big bunch of minor league free agents and castoffs to give it a whirl…
2023 Topps Blue Shimmer - Jose Urena
Ultimate journeyman pitcher of this era. In just 2025 alone, Urena has pitched in major league games for the Mets, Dodgers, Blue Jays and Twins. In previous seasons, he’s pitched for the Rangers, White Sox, Rockies, Brewers and Tigers, after a six season run with the Marlins. His 2023 Topps card shows him pitching for the Nationals, but that only happened in Photoshop. He spent two months with Washington’s AAA club, but didn’t pitch in the majors before moving onto the White Sox. Urena has been in the league since 2015, and keeps finding work given his upper 90’s fastball with movement. Problem being, he has never been consistent. For his 11 year career, he is 44-77, with a 4.77 ERA.
Something tells me that Twins will not be his last major league team.
2022 Stadium Club Autograph - Thomas Hatch
When your hit off a hobby box is a middle relief pitcher, you hold out hop that someday he pitches for your team. Just to give you a reason to care about his card.
2023 Topps Heritage High Numbers - Noah Davis
Minnesota bizarrely traded for Colorado Rockies castoff Noah Davis, in mid-July. He was with the Dodgers at the time, and was pitching even worse than he did with the Rockies. The Twins called him up after the forced bullpen exodus, and he was only slightly less awful than he was in Los Angeles. Minnesota let him throw the ball in 2 games, for a total of 3 innings. In those 3 innings, he gave up 6 hits, 5 runs (only one walk) and struck out four. Davis quickly found himself a Saint. For his career, Noah Davis is 0-6, with an ERA of 9.25. In a total of 60.1 innings, spread across parts of 4 seasons, he given up an unfathomable 93 and 29 walks.
You know, perhaps pitching in the major leagues isn’t something you can do… There’s no shame in that, I can’t either.
These are just a few of the new Minnesota Twins open auditions for replacement pitchers, some of the others include… Travis Adams, Pierson Ohl, Brooks Kriske, Anthony Misiewicz, Darren McCaughan, and former Seattle Mariner, Erasmo Ramirez.
Haven’t seen a whole lot of positives from this group…
Speaking of not a whole lot of positives, the Twins made one more trade, that I almost missed while I was following the trade deadline festivities. 2024 American League All Star Willi Castro, was shipped to the Chicago Cubs, for two pitching prospects.
2024 Topps - Willi Castro
Castro signed with the Twins as a free agent, in December, 2022. He’d been with the Detroit Tigers for parts of 4 seasons, but didn’t establish himself. He was great with Minnesota in 2023, decent in 2024, and below average in 2025. He was useful in that he could play just about anywhere on the field, but he didn’t excel at any one position. And some (like shortstop and center field) it was better if he wasn’t put out there. Still, he was a coveted bench piece at the trade deadline, and the Cubs won that bidding.
I liked Castro, but it was time for him to move on.
2025 - Knoxville Smokies - Ryan Gallagher
The Cubs 6th Round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, had already reached AA, and had success. In 14 starts in High A, and a combined 4 at AA, he’s 5-6, with an ERA of 4.02. More encouraging is his peripherals. In 94 combined innings, he’s issued only 21 walks and given up 82 hits. Along with 106 strikeouts, he looks to have the stuff to stay in the rotation. He’ll likely finish the 2025 season in AA Wichita, and look to be a Saint in 2026.
Sam Armstrong is the lesser prospect here, almost 25, and still in AA. His 3 year minor league career totals are a 9-15 record, with a 3.96 ERA. In 229.1 innings, he’s given up 195 hits and 77 walks, with 192 strikeouts. To me, he appears to be a bullpen candidate, which may unlock a few additional mph on his fastball. We’ll see what his 2026 looks like, but I don’t see him lasting as a starting pitcher.
The great 2025 Minnesota Twins Fire Sale is really depressing.
I need a nice, new Montreal Expos card to help take my mind off this…
2021 Topps Chrome Platinum Aqua Shimmer - Moises Alou
Ahhh… Much better!
So who’s left? The starting pitcher edition…
2024.05 - Twins Magazine - Pablo Lopez
Our season effectively ended on June 4th, against the Athletics in Sacramento, at Sutter Health High School Park. We won 10-3, but lost Pablo Lopez to a right shoulder strain. Severe enough to miss three months, causing a chaotic chain reaction down the entire pitching staff. Any momentum we had going (33-27, on that date) went right down the drain. Lopez may return at some point in September, but the season is sunk.
Lopez was another Twin that received a nice contract extension, when the Pohlad’s still remembered they owned a contending baseball team. He’s making $21.5 million this season, and the same amount in 2026 and 2027. That’s a great price for a staff ace. The $43 million dollar question is, will he start Opening Day 2026 for the Twins?
Is this a “soft” rebuild?
Or are they going scorched Earth on the team?
To what degree are the Pohlad's involved in the Twins?
Twins fans sit in limbo waiting for these situations to play out.
Another thought that has to be revised… We know now the Pohlad’s aren’t going anywhere, so the only question is how far the cuts are going to reach. We currently have a decent rotation, if Pablo Lopez is leading it. A team really can’t contend without a strong starting rotation, and if we gut ours, we’ll be battling the White Sox for last place.
2022 Topps Gold Label - Joe Ryan - Autograph
As important as keeping Lopez is to the Twins future, Joe Ryan is right behind him. He’s our only pitcher who has been healthy all season, and most consistent dating back to his September 2021 debut. In 107 career games, Joe Ryan is 44-31, with a 3.67 ERA. In 602.2 innings, he’s given up only 493 hits and 134 walks, striking out 671. Lopez is our Ace, Ryan is our Ace Jr.
So of course the Twins were “Listening on offers” to trade Ace Jr. MLB Network shared a tweet regarding the Red Sox pursuit of Joe Ryan, in the final hours before the deadline. Glad we didn’t bite on this. The three Top 100 prospecs do nothing for me, in terms of replacing Joe Ryan. The Twins take was they had to be overwhelmed to make this trade, and thankfully no one whelmed them. Concerned this may still go down in the offseason.
Who knows what the Pohlad's have planned to steal X-Mess…
2025 Topps - Bailey Ober
Oakland used to have the 7 Foot Hippie, in A.J. Puk. The Twins have the 6’9 Foot Hippie, in Bailey Ober.
Like Ryan, Ober has been really good since his debut in May 2021. Until stumbling this season through a combination of lowered velocity, giving up an exaggerated amount of base hits and home runs, all while battling a left hip impingement. He finally went on the injured list and missed the month of July. His first two starts after returning were a slight improvement. Feels like he may be another trade candidate, but with his down season, it would definitely be selling low.
2023 Finest Purple - Simeon Woods-Richardson
Woods-Richardson has been an acceptable #4 starter for the last couple of years. But he’s never taken the step forward that Ryan and Ober have. Given the current and incoming starting pitching prospects, I could see Woods-Richardson moved to the bullpen. Wouldn’t be an unrealistic idea that he could become a shut down reliever, replacing some of what we traded.
2025 Topps Chrome Black Blue Refractor - David Festa
Festa has incredible stuff, and looks great in some games, and looks terrible in others. He’s battled injuries and inconsistency. Another name that could possibly move to the bullpen and maybe become a dominant reliever?
2025 Topps Chrome Black Blue Refractor - Zebby Matthews
Matthews has incredible stuff, and looks great in some games, and looks terrible in others. While the numbers overall don’t look all that impressive, he’s made some real progress this year. His home runs per 9 innings is down significantly, and his 5.18 strikeout to walk ratio absolutely plays.
******
With Carlos Correa now a re-born Astro, Byron Buxton is our lone superstar.
And he wants to stay here. He’s said multiple times that he wants to spend his entire career with the Twins, and would not waive his no-trade clause for any team. (Including his hometown Atlanta Braves, when asked.) Despite being on the injured list as the trade deadline passed, he flew to Cleveland the next day to show solidarity with the team. That night, he organized a team dinner, to welcome newcomers and let the ones who remained blow off steam.
He takes a lot of shit from Minnesotans, because of the time he’s missed, but he’s an all around class act.
The Pohlad’s do not deserve Byron Buxton.
Byron Buxton will probably be the only player to ever hit a home run on my birfday, that I witnessed in person.
2022 Topps Tribute Purple - Byron Buxton - Autograph
The worst part of the 2025 Twins collapse and resulting roster purge, is the team wasn’t able to capitalize on Byron Buxton’s huge season. He’s still had a few injured stretches, including the concussion from that nasty collision with Carlos Correa, in Baltimore. (Knocked Correa all the way to Texas!) But when he’s played, he’s posted some of his best numbers. Buxton has had a pretty special season. Which has been largely wasted by the subpar team around him. Combination of teammates not performing to their talent level, and ownership who refused to pay for enough talent.
And some of that blame lies at the foot of…
2019 Topps National Baseball Card Trading Day - Rocco Baldelli
I like Rocco Baldelli. I like him more than Bowling Ron Gardenhire, and a lot more than Cranky Tom Kelly. Sure, he makes many questionable moves with the bullpen. He gets a lot of crap for removing starting pitchers from games too early. But when you look at the numbers, Baldelli is absolutely not alone in his philosophy of handling a pitching staff. That’s simply the way the game is played today. Yeah… I don’t like it either. But I do like how animated he gets when he decides it’s time to argue a call to the point of ejection! He’s more subtle than hat throwing Gardenhire. And Cranky Tom Kelly never argued calls, no matter how heinous they may have been.
My biggest gripe with Rocco Baldelli is often baffling moves and non-moves, when it comes to the lineup.
Don’t tell Mickey Gasper to bunt with two strikes, when he’s proven he can’t bunt on the first two pitches!
Don’t allow Mickey Gasper to bat in the bottom of the 6th inning, with 2 out and the tying run on third base!
Just stop playing Mickey Gasper at DH!!
(Replace “Mickey Gasper” with the name of any of the poor bench options the 2025 Minnesota Twins were set up with.)
There was grumbling from the fan base earlier this summer, when the Pohlad’s extended Baldelli’s contract for the 2026 season. Doesn’t bother me. Where the 2025 Minnesota Twins are at is not Rocco Baldelli’s fault.
Where the 2026 (and 2027 and 2028) Minnesota Twins are, depends heavily on this list…
An updated list the Twins Top 30 Prospects was posted on MLB.com, the day after the trade deadline. This shows where our new prospects rank among our previous list. Ten days later, MLB would update the Top 30 prospect lists for all 30 teams, including members of the 2025 MLB Draft. I’ve already covered pretty much everyone I need to cover here already, but here’s a few more notables.
2024 Bowman Chrome 1999 Anniversary - Walker Jenkins
Still the top ranked Twins prospect (#14 on MLB’s Top 100), by 40 spots (newcomer Eduardo Tait is #54), would have ranked higher if it weren’t for missing the first two and a half months with an ankle injury. Still just 20 years old, he’s batting .313/.418/.494, with 6 home runs, in 44 games with the AA Wichita Wind Surge. Could see Jenkins and Kaelen Culpepper moving up the ladder together. Both of them maybe seeing a week or two in St. Paul in late September, then starting 2026 with the Saints. Possible call-ups to the Twins by mid-season?
2022 Bowman Chrome Refractor - Emmanuel Rodriguez
Injuries have cost Rodriguez a great deal of his development, since signing with Minnesota, as a 16 year old, in 2019. There’s no questioning his immense talent, but I see a lot of holes that may be too big to overcome. His strikeout totals are alarming, and haven’t really seemed to improve. He used to take an astronomical amount of walks, now he just takes a big bunch of them. While possessing elite power, he hasn’t ever hit a lot of home runs. There’s plenty of time for him to figure things out, but he’s missed over 2 months of time in 2025 alone.
2025 Bowman Chrome Green Lava Refractor - Khadim Diaw - Autograph
Only Twins prospect I haven’t yet mentioned that still matters… Diaw was ranked #29 on the Twins Top 30 Prospects list, in the pre-season rankings. By mid-July, he was up to #19. The updated Top 30, accounting for 8 members of the 2025 MLB Draft class and recent prospect additions, has him at #23. Diaw has missed a lot of time with injuries this year, which hurts him after the Twins acquired two more catching prospects in Tait and Jimenez.
Speaking of the 2025 MLB Draft, who else is new to the organizational ranked prospect list?
2025 MLB Draft - Round Competitive Balance Round A (36th overall) - Twins - Riley Quick
Quick has quickly become our 12th best prospect. I’m funny. He’s a big stocky right-handed starting pitcher, who has already had Tommy John Surgery. He throws hard and has some quality pitches, but the control isn’t there. He’s a project, but there’s a lot to work with.
2025 MLB Draft - Round 2 (54th overall) - Twins - Quentin Young
Very raw, toolsy shortstop, who will likely not be a shortstop for too long. He’s an impressive power hitter who can absolutely launch the ball. Just before the draft, I watched a background video on Young, and this kid can hit home runs. He debuts at #14 on the Twins Top 30. If they can help him figure out how to refine his other skills, with his power arm, he could become a big time right fielder.
May he go on to have a better Twins career than his uncle…
February 2004 - Beckett Baseball - Delmon Young
Delmon Young was the First Overall Pick in the 2003 MLB Draft. He would play 192 games as a Tampa Bay DEVIL Ray, and looked like a promising young superstar. As a 2007 Devil Ray, he hit .288/.316/.408, and played in all 162 games, as a 21 year year old. The Twins needed to replace Torii Hunter, who had just signed with the Angels. So we traded promising rookie starting pitcher Matt Garza and a young shortstop, Jason Bartlett, for Delmon Young and a couple bench guys. Garza and Bartlett starred in Tampa, and played key roles in the Rays late aughts playoff runs. Young contributed to the Twins, but never found a higher gear. He always seemed to put up a nice batting average, but the plate discipline and power never developed as it should. Over the four seasons Delmon played for Minnesota, he hit .287/.324/.429., with only 47 home runs in 497 games. Just a completely average player, over parts of 10 major league seasons.
2025 MLB Draft - Round 3 (88th overall) - Twins - James Ellwanger
Found it kind of curious that the Twins went for some high risk/high reward picks in the 2025 MLB Draft. Though our first rounder was such a typical Twins draft pick, I’m kind of surprised MLB didn’t just give us Marek Houston before the draft started, to save everybody some time. But this is about Ellwanger (great name!). From his scouting report, he’s another hard thrower with little clue where it’s going. And elbow problems in the past… But if it all works out, hell of a talent!
March 22, 2025 - Blue Jays at Twins
Late innings of the game. Without names on the backs of the jerseys, I hav no idea who any of these prospects are. Perhaps some of them will be in Minnesota in a few years?
2025 Topps - Twins - Say Cheese
Glad you got a picture of it, Duran… Could be quite a few years before we come close to contending again…
And the second we dare to try, the Pohlad’s will take it all away again.
This franchise has really worn me out. This whole sale/not sale thing isn’t even the worst thing the family has done to the team. Remember the 2001 contraction threat? But this one feels more tone deaf. Minnesota HATES the Pohlad’s, and this pours more gas on the fire.
Laura and I have tickets for a game at the end of the month. She bought the tickets back in April.
We didn’t know we were going to a Saints game (with Byron Buxton).
Thanks, Reddit…
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